ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. pit — in a race
  4. fine — high quality
  5. rock — a stone
  6. bear — the animal
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. rock — music
  10. pit — a hole
  11. spell — magic
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. fine — all right
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. wind — moving air
  16. wake — a trail
  17. spell — letters
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. bear — the animal
  20. ball — a dance
  21. wind — moving air
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. ball — a great time
  24. pit — a fruit stone

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com